The Difference between a Real Smile and a Fake One
by KuroSenji
Summary: Kuro was depressed, and being around the others made it more so, but now she is better than ever, and willing to fight for what's right...KratosxOC I don't own it...yadayadayada...T for language Currently on hiatus


The Difference between a Real Smile and a Fake One

By: Luna Hikari Uchiha

**Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or the rights to it in any way. There, I said it. Now the lawyers can back off.**

**All right people!!! I've decided to come out with a Tales of Symphonia story!!! It's going to be KratosxOC, and yeah, the OC is Kuro. I know I spoiled that, but yeah. OH YEAH!!! You might not want to read this because it has spoilers, and whatnot...**

Smiling...always smiling. Even when it hurts inside...I have a lot of abilities. Most of them being the ability to hide what I'm really thinking. Or so I thought...

"Smile that beautiful smile of yours, Kuro-chan!!!" yelled a very loud and obnoxious Zelos. He grinned and held up a camera. With a flash of bright red hair, he turned with a very dramatic pause at the end and said with no less feigned drama in his voice than the most skilled actor alive, "Oh, my dear Kuro-chan, how she continues to elude me and my words of love!! I don't think my fragile heart can take much more of her torment!" With a dramatic sigh and a very dramatic sweep of the hand across the forehead, he held his hand to his heart.

"Oh, be quiet, Zelos!" came Lloyd's voice. He came up next to Kuro, who was sitting at the window, and staring out of it blankly. She didn't look up until Lloyd waved his hand in front of her face. She blinked and said, "Uh, yes?"

"Wow, you were really spacing out! Something wrong?" Lloyd said. His tone clearly stated that he was worried about her.

With the usual ease, Kuro pasted a realistic smile onto her beautiful face. She said, "Nothing's wrong! I'm just so enchanted by the view..." It wasn't the truth, but it was a good enough lie. The truth was that she was still sad from Kratos' betrayal. In fact, she was worse than sad. She was depressed. But, she was almost always depressed, though she hid it well. The only time she wasn't completely lost, was when Kratos was with her, and was talking to her. However, since he had turned out to be an angel of Cruxis, she decided that she could no longer trust anyone. Not even Lloyd, or the others.

Zelos, being the oh-so-perceptive one, said, "Oh, come now, Bud, is that really the way to go around and enchant a woman?"

Lloyd scowled at Zelos and said to Kuro, "Remember, he's a dumbass."

Kuro let out a laugh and said, "Oh, I know!"

Zelos had a fake look of hurt on his face. He sighed and said, "Am I loved by none of you?"

Genis walked into the room with a scowl on his face. He said, "Zelos, I could hear you all the way outside. Can you please keep your trap shut?"

Zelos glared a little at the silver-haired, short, half-elf. He said, "Shut it, brat."

Kuro stood up and smacked Zelos in the back of the head. She said, "Don't call Genis a brat!!"

Zelos and his newly formed lump said, "Ow!! Why must the beauties always hit the hardest?"

After a small bit of arguing, Kuro managed to get herself out of the room. She went outside and onto the balcony.

They were staying at Zelos' mansion in Meltokio, which was in Tethe'alla, by the way, and she was feeling more and more depressed by the minute. With the cool breeze slightly teasing her jet-black, lustrous, waist-length hair, and sending bangs into her lovely face, she did not notice a certain bluenette standing adjacent to her on the balcony. After a few moments, Regal finally decided to say something.

"Are you still hurt by Kratos' betrayal?"

Kuro jumped. She stammered, "Uh-um...Regal!! Hey, uh...no...I'm not! I'm honestly not hurt by it anymore!!" She knew that her act was not going to convince him, so she sighed.

Regal said, "You are still hurt. Deeply, and more profoundly than even Lloyd." He was always the perceptive one. Kuro bit her lip and said, "I...I just..." With another sigh, she looked over at him and saw that his eyes were kind, and though he tried so hard to hide it, there lurked a deep pain in their depths. "You know what it's like, don't you?" she said, though not out of spite, or anything of the sort. Just out of resolution and curiosity.

Regal looked up at the darkening sky and said, "I know what it's like to lose someone you love, but I don't really know what it's like to be betrayed by someone you care about. I know what it's like to kill the one you loved with your own two hands, but I don't understand the feeling of betrayal." He sighed. "I don't know a lot about what you're feeling, but it hurts to see you like this. Of course, I didn't know you before Lloyd and everyone came to Tethe'alla, so I have no idea what you are really like under all your masks and facades."

Kuro smiled softly and sadly. She said, "Am I really that easy to read?"

Regal smiled back at her, with the same degree of sadness. He said, "No. I just know when a person is hiding something, and when they are in deep pain."

Smiling a genuine smile, which was very different from her normal, fake ones, she said, "You know, you remind me of my older brother. Well...he's gone now, but I'm not sad. He told me once, 'If you are ever sad about my death, I will come back and haunt you for the rest of your eternal life.' I miss him, but I'm not sad for him. He died an honorable death. He was always so kind, and so caring, but he had a different way of showing that he cared. And you're kinda the same..."

Regal smiled and a faint tint of redness came across his face. He said, "I'm glad I remind you of your older brother. He sounds like the type of man who was very trustworthy, and loyal."

With a wistful look on her face, Kuro said, "Yeah..."

Regal closed his eyes, the smile fading. He said, "I'm going to go make sure the others don't kill each other. Will you be alright out here? It's kind of chilly."

Kuro smiled. She said, "I'll be fine...and Regal...thanks."

Regal smiled and softly opened the door. He had a little bit of trouble because of the shackles, but he said quietly, "You're welcome."

After Regal left, Kuro leaned on the railing and looked out at the now-twilight sky. She bit her lip and wondered how everyone would react when they found out about her past. She wasn't an angel, or a human...something much worse. But, she couldn't tell them. It would break the code of secrecy that she had sworn to uphold on pain of death. With a small sigh, she decided to head inside again. After all, there was nothing like being in a warm bed and listening to the racket of the others.

Somehow, the others didn't notice her even more depressed demeanor. She didn't mind.

The next morning, she went out to gather supplies, for it was her turn. She didn't know how she was tricked into it, but somehow, she found herself wearing a sort of revealing outfit, and carrying around an empty sack. All she had to do was go around to the men and ask for something in a sweet voice. After completely stuffing the bag with gels and potions, and other random items, she returned to the mansion. She found that Sebastian, the butler, was waiting for her with a change of clothes. She said, "What's going on?"

"Master Zelos said that they would be waiting for you at the reception hall. They have a surpise for you there, and Sir Bud asked me to give you this to wear."

The change of clothes consisted of a sleek, beautifully lined dress that was the shade of her eyes, which was molten silver. The smaller bundle was pantyhose wrapped around a pair of heels that were the same shade as the dress. The dress itself was simple, being knee-length and with slits up both sides. She smiled. It was just like Lloyd to give her something that was infinitely more covering than what Zelos would have given her. She quickly changed, denying help from the maids who were crowded around her. She ignored their gasps of envy when they saw her in her dress and quickly headed out, leaving the bag of supplies in the main room with Sebastian.

With a slight blush on her face, for her appearance was much more formal than she was used to, she ducked into the reception hall's main room. Nobody was in that room, so she asked the receptionist where they were.

"Ah, you must be Miss Uchiha. If you would come with me, please."

She reluctantly followed her into the hallway off to the left and when they reached an ornate set of double doors, Kuro said to herself, "What have they got planned?"

She tucked a strand of her jet-black hair behind her pointed ear, and sighed. She had put her hair into a high ponytail, much like she wore when fighting, and had a silver flower tucked into the hairtie. The doors opened and she walked in. All around the room there were gasps, and she could feel eyes on her as she made her way over to where Lloyd was standing. He was wearing his Nobleman's outfit, and grinning. He said, "I think the others are jealous."

Kuro blushed even more. She said, "W-what's going on?"

"Well...we heard that today is your birthday, so we decided to throw a party for you!!"

"Oh...right...my...birthday..." Kuro's blush faded as she realized what today meant. It was the same day that...well, it was the same day that something horrible had happened to her (and no, it did not involve Kratos in any way). She put on a bright smile and said, "Thank you so much!! But, you really didn't have to..."

Zelos came up from behind Lloyd and slung his arm casually around the brunette's shoulders. He said, "Nonsense!! We had Sheena go out and find out when your birthday was and I planned this all secretly from the beginning."

Kuro laughed a little, but on the inside, she felt like running out of the room and crying. She then looked around and saw Regal standing uncomfortably by the window nearest the door. She smiled and said, "I'm gonna go talk to Regal, and then we can get this party started."

Lloyd nodded. He said, "Regal wanted me to ask you to go speak to him anyway."

Zelos grinned and said, "Lloyd, you simply must try the cake when the real party starts!!"

Kuro could hear Lloyd exclaim loudly as she walked towards Regal, "Uuh, don't touch me you jackass Chosen!!!"

Regal looked over when she was about ten feet away and said, "Ah, I see you've finally arrived. How do you like the decorations? I had some of my people set them up."

Kuro smiled warmly and said, "They're beautiful, but you all really didn't need to do all this for me..."

Regal smiled and said, "You are much too modest, but then again...I'm not one to talk. Kuro, you are a very important person to all of us, and we do not want you to hurt or be hurt, so for at least a few minutes, could we enjoy the party?"

Kuro nodded. With a smile, she said, "I'll try."

Throughout the party, she found that she was able to fall more easily into the rhythms of the party than she expected, so she just let herself flow with it. When the party had reached its climax, and everyone was starting to settle down, she was pulled onto the dance floor by Zelos and quickly found herself in a dance with him. Her eyes widened and she said, "Z-Zelos? W-What are you doing?"

"Well, apparently, I'm dancing with a very beautiful woman who has just aged another year." Zelos said with a grin. He was a very good dancer, and not in the least perverted in the fact that his hands stayed firmly in one place.

Kuro blushed for what seemed the thousandth time that night and allowed herself to be carried away in the dance. Eventually, she managed to pull away from Zelos and go up onto the rear terrace, where she encountered Lloyd. She smiled and said, "You know, for all his talk, Zelos sure knows how to dance and keep his hands to a limited range."

Lloyd laughed and said, "I never expected it from him. Hey, look there goes Regal...I wonder where he's off to."

"Hmm...I'll go see." Kuro went back into the main hall and found Regal off to the side again. She tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Come on, at least dance with me."

"That will be rather...difficult." Regal said with a small blush.

Kuro decided to take a page from Lloyd's book and said, "Come on, we'll find a way!"

She pulled him out onto the dance floor and they somehow managed to get his arms around her waist. She was a little closer than was normal, but it would do. She placed her hands on Regal's shoulders, and they began to slowly dance.

Regal was blushing a little, and so was Kuro, but they were both happy. Kuro said, "See, I told you we'd find a way!!"

Regal chuckled and said, "So it seems..."

When all was said and done, and the party was over, Kuro was beginning to face reality again. She sighed and left the reception hall without so much as a goodbye to anyone. She decided to go for a walk around the city and get some fresh air.

After walking for a short while, she sat down on a bench, her soft smile slipping off her face. She put her head in her hands and proceeded to weep. It was silent, and less tears came with it than usual, but the emotions were all the same. Her pain, her sadness, and her feeling of betrayal were all amplified by this day's events. With a sigh, she looked up at the beautiful night sky, tears still streaming down her lovely face. She wasn't like the others. She wasn't a human, or a half-elf. She wasn't of any race that was known to them. She was a drow (1), and it pained her to be up on the surface. But still, to fall in love with an angel...it was unheard of. Her race was known for their spite and cruel methods, but only to other creatures who lived in her world. She was one of the only ones who thought it was wrong to think of things like that. But, when she met Lloyd, and everyone else...her views were much more pure. She believed that even though her mother was a bitch, and she hated the woman, she still deserved the right to live. Lloyd was a pure being, with a soul as untainted as any, and who always spoke his mind.

Somehow, she would get through this. She knew she would. However, there was still the upcoming problems. (i.e. the fight with Yggdrasill, joining the two worlds, etc.) A sudden burst of optimism gave her the strength to finally wipe away her tears, to finally confront her fears. She stood up and with a sudden burst of laughter that was filled with happiness, she punched straight up into the air and said, "All right, dammit, it's time to face my fears and get rid of them!! Haha!!" She ran swiftly back to the reception hall, not caring about how she would look when she got there, and not minding at all the high heels, and burst into the main hall. With a grin, she said, "Come on everyone, we need to get ready!!!"

Everyone was surprised. They had been wondering where in seven hells Kuro could have gotten to, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, she appeared again, but this time out of breath, with her heels destroyed, her hair coming down, and her dress more than a little ripped. Regal said, "Where were you? We were worried!!"

Kuro laughed. This time it didn't sound fake, and she could finally say, "I've been keeping a lot from you guys, and now I'm ready to tell you all everything. I'm going to get rid of my fears and finally stop being a coward." Her tone was heated and full of passion. Regal sighed and smiled. He said, "All right, but can that wait until we get back to Zelos' house?"

Kuro nodded, then said, "I'll be waiting there!!!"

With a sigh, Raine said, "That girl...she's suddenly so impulsive...it looks like Lloyd got to her, too..."

**(1) Drow are also incorrectly known as dark elves, and are known for their cruelty to other races. The race is predominantly female, and is ruled by the Spider Queen, Lloth. I don't own the rights to this, either, so bleh.**

**OKIES!!!!!!!!!!! You people need to start reviewing!!! I know I haven't updated my other stories, but I will!!! I swear it...just not right now...ehehe...anywho...I hope you enjoyed it!!!! I'm not done, btw. I just got bored and decided to cut it off...**

**Sincerely, **

**Luna-chan**


End file.
